I care not for your lofty proclamations, your promises full of adjectives. I want a president who will get off their comfortable butt and fight for the average American. Period.

That is exactly why this conservative is leaning away from the usual politician and those high and mighty speeches in the race for the United States Presidency. I want someone who has a record of blasting away the fog, reaching down into the substance of a problem and offering real solutions without regard to special interests. A politician can’t do that. A politician has to be carefull who not to offend.

“Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”, (Adm. David Glasgow Farragut) is the kind of approach I want from the President of the United States (POTUS).

Let’s have someone who might, for example:

Work to abolish the Department of Education in favor of block grants to states, based on enrollment for example, and that are better able to determine the needs of their state’s children. (The federal government has no business in curriculum decisions.)

Propose elimination of the Internal Revenue Service, and replace the IRS Code with a “flat tax” or “fair tax”, and reduce corporate manufacturer taxes for those companies with a majority of its operations located within the 50 states.

Make regular trips to Capital Hill to work with both Democrats and Republicans on major issues.

By executive order, eliminate duplication in the federal bureaucracy.

Reduce the federal employee payroll by at least 20 percent (ouch!).

Work toward a “Balanced Budget Amendment” to the Constitution, together with the line item veto.

Hold accountable those responsible for malfeasance.

Oh, there are so many other items, to be sure, but we’ll never get anywhere with a Presidency and Congress populated by partisan politicians. Can we not go back to honest people with creative ideas who really represent their constituents? — D. C. ‘Dan’ Lee

Ten, perhaps as many as 15 people will throw their hats in the ring for the Republican nomination for the highest office in the land. Deciding who you might want to support for President of the United States (POTUS) is much like throwing darts with a blindfold obscuring your vision.

In my case, I’m really tired of the same old political professional types attempting to lure votes. I mean, how is it that little old citizen lawyer or bookkeeper can go from a paycheck to paycheck existence to financially well off after a few terms in federal office? Doesn’t that bother you as well. How does that happen?

“As of 2015, the base salary for all rank-and-file members of the U.S. House and Senate is $174,000 per year, plus benefits. Salaries have not been increased since 2009.” [See more at http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm ] However, leaders received another $19,000 for their trouble, and Speaker of the house gets $223.5 K.

Now, I don’t begrudge these folks a reasonable salary, specially since it is well below the hierarchy of a major corporation, but I’m just tired of “politics as usual”. Furthermore, I may let loose of a fire storm of four-letter words the next time some politician answers my question with “well, you have to understand it’s rather complicated”.

I have grown weary of politics as usual, and a massive federal bureaucracy that rules the roost in Washington, DC. Can we not find honest folks to serve who are not steeped in beltway garbage? — D. C. ‘Dan’ Lee

Right on, “D.L!” Given the well-deserved disdain most of us feel for many Congressmen and -women and a recognition of widespread corruption and greed, it should be a “no-brainer” that a man of intelligence, character and integrity lacking dependence upon special interests and the blind partisanship that currently define our political system should be our clear choice. Ben Carson, all the way!